Joshua isn't scary
by maximum5
Summary: A little girl breaks into Joshua's house looking for a safe place to stay but soon realizes it is already occupied. Will this little girl be scared of Joshua? I dont know what do you think?
1. out there people

"Out there people"

Snoring filled the house as the little girl entered the house. She was small, only about 8 or 9 years old. Her curly blond hair plastered to her forehead from the rain outside. She needed a place to stay that was warm and dry and she found it. She walked into the room where what seemed to be a man sleeping on the floor in front of the fire place. She walked over to the man and looked down at him. She was curious but not that curious. She turned to walk away, and noticed some snack cakes spread out on a table. She quietly ran over and took one of them, opening it and eating very fast. What she didn't know was the crinkling of the plastic had awoken the man behind her. He sat up and looked at the little girl, his head tilted to one side in curiosity. The girl turned to move to the chair and saw the man looking at her. She jumped in surprise when she saw his face. It was the face of an animal... a dog face. She froze to the spot. She was scared of what he might do. But then he smiled at her. This made her relax a little. He stood up and walked over to her. He took another snack cake and handed it to her. She looked up to him not knowing what to do...

"Eat..." he simply stated

She took the snack and ate it just as fast.

"Hungry? Really hungry?" he asked

The little girl nodded to him. He smiled sadly at the little girl.

"My name Joshua... what's your name?" he asked

The little girl looked over to him. She didn't know what to say to him, to Joshua.

"Jamie..." she mumbled

Joshua smiled again and motioned for the girl to take his place by the fire as he sat in his arm chair with a book. Jamie sat in front of the fire and looked up at Joshua. He was like a giant to her. But he seemed so kind and gentle. She smiled remembering her big brother.

"Sorry I broke in Joshua..." she apologized

"It's okay. Needed company." Joshua replied with a smile

Jamie smiled back a little more easily. Her fear of the man seemed to melt away after a little bit. Watching him sit and read the book labeled 'little woman' made her wonder more about him. Jamie lay down on the pile of pillows and closed her eyes. For the first time in the past few months she finally felt safe...

After unknowingly drifting off to sleep Jamie woke up to a woman's voice...

"Joshua who is she?" the woman asked

"Jamie." Joshua stated

Jamie sat up and looked around and heard Joshua tell the woman that she was awake. Joshua appeared in front of the little girl and smiled.

"Rise and shine!" Joshua said

Jamie looked up at Joshua and smiled in reply. The woman walked over to Joshua and Jamie and smiled.

"My name is max, Jamie right?" max asked

"Yeah, nice to meet you..." Jamie replied her smile slightly vanishing.

"Where is your family Jamie?" max asked again

"I don't have any family... your going to make me leave aren't you?" Jamie said looking down at her knees

Max looked at Joshua and looked around at the apartment. Then remembered a vacant bedroom in the back.

"I don't think we have to do that. There is an extra bedroom past the kitchen." said max

Jamie looked at max and smiled gratefully. Jamie turned back to Joshua and gave him a hug.

"Thank you guys." she said almost in tears

Max took Jamie to the back bedroom and opened the door. The room was almost in perfect condition. The bed had a dark blue quilt spread across it and a pretty wooden dresser under the boarded up windows. Jamie smiled at the sight of the little room. But then she realized something...

"I don't own anything..." she said to max

Max looked down at Jamie and smiled.

"I am sure I can get you some stuff..." max replied

Jamie smiled up at max and went into her new bedroom. Joshua stood behind max and smiled at his new little friend bouncing on her bed. Max leaned back against Joshua and smiled. Max couldn't believe Joshua adopted a little kid into his life so quickly. But then again the little girl in away adopted Joshua...


	2. Time for school

**"Time for school"**

Jamie woke the next day to hear Joshua laughing at something. She moved the dark blue blanket away from her and got out of her bed. She dug through her dresser for some clothes that Max had gotten for her. She picked out a pair of blue jeans and a pink t-shirt. She put them on and walked out into the living room where she found Joshua and a young man talking about how the young man scared a few people at work with a stupid buzzer pen. She stood there for a few seconds and finally the young man turned around and looked at her. Joshua took the opportunity to introduce the two.

"Jamie this is Alec... Alec this is Jamie." Joshua smiled

Alec looked down at Jamie and smiled.

"Hey there half pint." Alec greeted

"Nice to meet you too." replied Jamie

Jamie walked over to the fire place and sat down on the pile of pillows and picked up a book that she had been reading. It was titled Harry potter and the chamber of secrets. She began to read quietly and Alec turned to Joshua...

"She takes after you, father Joshua." Alec laughed

"I'm a father?" Joshua asked confused

"Um, ok you did take her in right?"

Joshua nodded

"You are taking care of her right?"

Joshua nodded again

"Sounds like you're a father to me." Alec mused

Joshua smiled happily and looked at his "daughter" by the fire. Alec then realized he was going to be late for work and got his stuff together to leave. before he turned to leave he turned to Jamie.

"Guess I will see you around half pint." he said to her

"See ya..." she replied with out looking up.

Alec left with a shrug and a pat on the back from Joshua. Joshua decided he would join Jamie by the fire and see what was so interesting about her book. When he finally sat down he noticed she was reading the same page over and over, as if looking for some thing. Joshua asked Jamie for the book and she willingly gave it over to him. He smiled at her and began to read aloud. She laid her head against his shoulder and they sat reading for almost three hours. By the time Joshua got to the 16th chapter Jamie had fallen asleep by his side. Just as he was about to get up and move Max walked in the door. She watched him move Jamie gingerly from her spot so he could get up. He closed the book and placed next to Jamie. Max smiled at Joshua as he put a finger to his mouth to indicate silence. She beckoned him out of the room and into the kitchen to talk to her.

"Joshua, how long has she been sleeping?" Max asked

"Don't know, she just fell asleep..." replied Joshua

Joshua peaked his head around the corner of the wall and looked at Jamie who had repositioned herself after Joshua had moved. He then turned back to max.

"Joshua father now." he smiled

"Yeah i guess you kind of are a father Joshua." replied max with a smile

Joshua nodded and smiled again. Max sat at the table that sat in the middle of the kitchen and waved Joshua over.

"Joshua i have some good news..." max began

Joshua started to look excited.

"Logan and i have found some one to home school Jamie. That way she can learn new things..."

Joshua's smile then disappeared at the words "home school". He shook his head very fast as if not wanting to make noise that would wake Jamie.

"Oh don't worry big fella. The teacher will come to logan's and teach her there." max reassured Joshua

"good." he sighed in relief

And at with that max and Joshua sat at the kitchen table and talked about what Jamie would learn from this new teacher. Joshua was eager to learn new things himself but he knew he couldn't leave the confines of his house. He was happy that his little friend could learn though, and that maybe she can teach him in return.


	3. Logan and School

**Logan and School**

Jamie woke up extra earlier that Monday morning. She was starting to feel really nervous about being home-schooled by this Logan person. She sat on her bed as the sun began to become brighter and brighter outside. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. She knew that school required pencils and note books and undivided attention, but other than that she was at a loss. Max told her it was going to be okay, and she had a safe feeling when she was around max. She only hoped she was going to be able to speak when she finally met her new teacher.

Jamie finally decided to get up and get dressed. She did so slowly still thinking about the hours of studying that lie ahead. She had gone to school before, but no one really noticed her. She was the smallest child in her classes and no one really cared that she was there, not even the teacher... Jamie moves from her bedroom into the kitchen where she finds Joshua looking for something in the cabinets. Finally he pulls out a box of count chocula and gives a cheer of triumph. Jamie cant help but to laugh. Ever since Joshua brought her in he was having max buy "normal food" for the little girl. And it always took him forever to figure out where max put everything after her shopping trips. Joshua then finds the milk and they sit at the table together. Jamie is quiet as Joshua studies her face. And finally he speaks.

"Today first day of school... you learn new things today!" he said with a large smile of happiness.

"Yep school..." Jamie replies quietly

"Max be here soon, then you got to blaze..." Joshua tells Jamie a little more serious.

Jamie nodded again. She poured herself some cereal and held out her bowl for some milk. Joshua assisted her in pouring the milk and they sat in silence for a good few moments. Jamie ate still thinking about her day and what was to happen. Then out of the blue max came in and instead of calling out for Joshua she called out for Jamie. Jamie didn't reply and sat at the table her jaw clenched. _Maybe if I don't say anything she won't notice me... _Jamie thought. But too late. Max entered the kitchen and kneeled next to the little girl.

"Come on kiddo, time for school." max said cheerfully

"Okay I guess." replied Jamie glumly and she got up from the table and went to her room for her shoes.

Joshua got up looking concerned about his "daughter". He looked to max confused unsure of what to think.

"Don't worry Joshua, every kid I ever knew acted this way on their first day." said max before Joshua could open his mouth.

"Its just before-school jitters she will live."

Joshua nodded and turned to clear the table. He didn't know what max was really talking about. He had never been to school. The mast his father taught him to do was read and writes, and that was simple to him. He didn't understand much of what was going on at all. But maybe he will some day...

Jamie finally emerged from her bedroom ready to go. She figured if she was going to get it over with she was going to have to force her self to get her shoes on but it turned out to be easier than she hoped. She gave Joshua a big hug and followed max outside. But there was one problem... she didn't see Max's car. Instead the only vehicles on the street were to cars on cinder blocks that sat in the neighbor's yard, and a motorcycle that she had never noticed before. Then it dawned on her... the motorcycle belonged to max. She was horror stricken and froze to the spot. She couldn't even think of getting on that bike with out imagining a horrific death. Max turned to see Jamie almost in tears from fear. And realized why.

"Honey its safe I promise... I wouldn't take you on it if it wasn't..." max tried to sooth the little girl, but with no success...

_What was I thinking! I should have borrowed Logan's car! _Max thought in panic. Then she thought about it. Logan wouldn't mind to come and pick us up, so all she had to do was call... she hoped she was right and looked at the little girl.

"Okay okay, we won't take my bike. I will call my friend and he will come and pick us up. Okay?" max said quickly

With that Jamie nodded wiping her tears away and still sobbing a little. She felt a little ashamed that she was scared of going on the motorcycle, but she did have every right to be afraid. After all she was only 98 pounds and 8 and half years old. The bike seemed like a monster to her.

Meanwhile max was on the phone with Logan, telling how Jamie nearly burst with tears when she realized she was going to be going to be on a motor cycle.

"Can you please come and pick us up Logan? Please? You should have seen her she was petrified Logan..." pleaded max

All Logan could do was laugh, but not at Jamie, but at max and how scared max had gotten. It was the second time he noticed that Jamie was able to bring down Max's defensive barrier. The first time was when Jamie first arrived at Joshua's and max agreed to let her stay with Joshua. He turned off his laptop and put it in its case and smiled.

"Yeah I will be there soon." he said and hung up.

Max turned to Jamie, who had finally stopped crying, and told her the good news. Jamie smiled grimly and looked up at max.

"Sorry..." she replied

Max couldn't help but to smile.

"It's okay kiddo. Maybe you can try going on my bike some other time..." max said cheerfully

Jamie nodded sheepishly and they walked back into the house

It didn't take Logan long to arrive at Joshua's. He walked in and called out for Max, who was in the living room with Jamie and Joshua. He walked in with his laptop case under one arm. Jamie looked up at her knew teacher and automatically had a safe feeling about him. He seemed to her a lot like a teacher. She began to think it was the glasses or the case with the laptop, but then she realized it was just him. She stood up and faced Logan and he kneeled to her level.

"Nice to meet you Jamie, my name is Logan." he said in a nice calm tone.

"Nice to meet you to Mr. Logan." replied Jamie, and the whole 'Mr.' part sent max into silent giggles.

It didn't take long for Logan to decide that he was going to stay at Joshua's and start Jamie's lessons. Math was the first lesson. Jamie was great with math. She blew straight through adding and minusing, and went straight for multiple digit multiplication. Logan was floored by how smart the little girl was. He sat and watched as she finished off problem after problem, only stepping in when she got stuck and confused.

Next was English, where even Joshua was staring over Logan's shoulder to learn something new. Logan had Jamie read the last chapter from Harry potter and explain the plot of the book to him. She had already read the rest of the book and she was glad to do this, because Harry potter was her favorite story. Spelling she had no trouble with either, and she passed her ten word spelling b.

Finally history rounded the ugly corner and Jamie was at a loss. She had not learned much about history. She knew about a few things, but not a lot. So finally Logan broke out the laptop and brought up a few documents. One on world war one and two. And another on the civil war. He wrote down a few dates and names and went about telling Jamie about the wars. She was fascinated to say the least.

In no time the day was over and Logan was getting ready to leave. Jamie was looking over the notes Logan had written out for her. Max stood in the doorway and looked over them curiously. Logan walked over to Jamie and said his goodbyes for the day and went to leave.

"So? How did it go?" max asked as Logan approached

"She is amazingly smarter for her age. She had no problem with anything I gave her, except for the history stuff." replied Logan

Max smiled and looked over to Jamie who was reading her notes over and over, trying to memorize them. Joshua had joined her and they sat reading together.

"He is so happy with Jamie here. It's like she brightened his life up in an instant." said max softly admiring the bond between Jamie and Joshua.

"Your right, he is like a big brother and a caring father rolled into one." replied Logan

Logan and max smiled warmly at one another and said their goodbyes. Logan walked out to his car and sat in the driver's seat for a few seconds pondering how Jamie could know so much, finally he came to the conclusion that it was just another smart child. He drove home with out another doubt in his mind.

Before max left she tucked Jamie into bed and moved to the living room where she found Joshua reading Jamie's Harry potter book. He looked up with a smile on his face and max sat on the arm of the chair.

"Jamie very smart, she likes good books too." said Joshua holding up Jamie's book.

"Yeah she is smart. Logan will be back tomorrow to see you and Jamie again, okay big fella?" said max

"Okay little fella" replied Joshua still smiling

Max kissed Joshua on the head and left for the night. For once she felt that everything was going to be okay. And it was all thanks to a little girl named Jamie...


End file.
